Telephone sterilizers



Sept. 1961 H. ROSENBLUM TELEPHONE STERILIZERS Filed Nov. 5, 1958 INVENTOR, flMO/l? 20.5! 4 6! My,

3,001,033 TELEPHQNE STEEHLIZERS Harold Rosenhlum, 35 West St, WhitePlains, Nfif. Filed Nov. 3, 1953, Ser. No. 771,271 2 Claims. (Cl. 179185) The present invention relates to improvements in tele phonesterilizers and more particularly to the type which is carried on theperforated cap closing the transmitter end of a hand set instrument.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a novel andimproved construction in telephone sterilizers of the charactermentioned, in which the components thereof are associated in releasablylocked relation affording easy replacement of the chemical cartridge.

Another object there of is to provide a novel and improved telephonesterilizer construction of the type described, which is reasonably cheapto manufacture and maintain and elficient in carrying out the purposefor which it is designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosureproceeds.

For the practice of this invention, one form it may assume is to have anitem which is cup-shaped to be frictionally fitted as a cap for theperforated screw cap of the transmitter. The bottom of said cup is aremovable thin container of stuff having sterilizing quality. Such stuffmay be granular or in pill form whose active ingredients are volatileand of course, the said container therefor is perforated. Said containeris cylindrical and has a peripheral flange of yieldable material whichsets in and is engaged by an inward annular channel in the side wall ofthe bottom hole in said cup member.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, similarcharacters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a telephone instrument shown equippedwith a sterilizer embodying the teachings of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a section taken at lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section taken at lines 3-3 in FIG. 2 of the sterilizercartridge.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a sterilizer cartridge of a modifiedconstruction.

FIG. 6 is a section taken at lines 6-6 in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary enlarged section similar to FIG. 2, butincluding the cartridge of FIG. 5.

In the drawing, the sterilizer designated generally by the numeral 15,is comprised of a sterilizer component indicated generally by thenumeral 16 which is releasably associated with a tubular member denotedgenerally by the numeral 17. In assembly, these components 16 and 17form a cup-shaped item which is frictionally fitted as a cap onto theperforated cap 18 of the transmitter end of a hand set telephoneinstrument 19.

The tubular member 17 has an inner annular groove 20 near its bottomend. The sterilizer component 16, may be comprised of a containerholding granules 21 which have been mentioned. This container is made upof cardboard washers 22, 23, 24, 25, with gauze discs 26, 27 heldbetween them in spaced relation as shown. The granules 21 are housedbetween said gauze discs. All the said washers and discs are of the samediameter to frictionally fit into the lower end of the member 17, butthe washer 24 which is between said gauze discs, is of slightly largerdiameter to provide a peripheral flange 24', which upon insertion of thesterilizer component 16, flexes and enters the annular groove 20. Thislocks the parts 16 Patented Sept. 19, 1961 and 17, but allows the forcedremoval of the sterilizer 16 when its chemical content has become spentand needs to be replaced. Replacement is made with a complete sterilizercomponent 16, whose manufacturing cost is cheap, because its washer anddisc parts are assembled by being merely pasted together by a glueapplied to the washers. This is a suggestion for economy of manufacture.

In the modified construction shown in FIGS. 5-7, the container for thechemical stuff 28, may be a box made up of the telescopically fittedpants 29 and 30', whose faces have substantial openings between thenarrow spoke-formation ribs 31. Within said box, against said openfaces, there are the fine gauze discs 32, between which are housed thegranules 28. The outer box part 30 has a peripheral flange 30'intermediate its top and bottom, for releasable engagement in theannular groove 33, and may have another flange 30" at its very top, torest on the seat 34 within the tubular member 35.

The box parts 29, 30 should be made of a material having some resilientquality, in order to afford proper mounting and removal of the cartridgeindicated generally by the numeral 36. Polyethylene is recommended forthis purpose and also for the tubular members 17 and 35.

The granules 21 and 28 may for example be paraformaldehyde with aperfume substance, and naphthalene, chlorophyl and other suitablesubstances.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and various applicationswithout departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It istherefore intended and desired that the embodiments shown herein bedeemed illustrative and not restrictive and that the patent shall coverall patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being had to thefollowing claims rather than to the specific description herein toindicate the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In a sterilizer device for the transmitter of a telephone instrument,a tubular member having an annular groove in its inside Wall near an endof said member, a perforated container within said tubular member acrosssaid end and in frictional engagement with said member; said containerhaving a perimetral flange of material having some resilient quality;said flange being within and engaged by said annular groove, andyieldable so that it enters said groove when the perforated container isforced into said tubular member and so that it leaves said groove whenthe perforated container is forced out of said tubular member; saidcontainer being comprised of at least two gauze discs in spacedrelation, with at least one washer between them and each disc betweenwashers and pasted to them; the washer between said discs, extendingbeyond the other washers to form the mentioned flange and solidparticles having a volatile content of sterilizing quality, housedwithin said container between the gauze discs; said tubular member beingadapted to be set on the cap of the transmitter end of a telephoneinstrument, so that said container is adjacent said transmitter cap.

2. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein all the washers are ofcardboard.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS961,369 Peck June 14, 1910 1,367,267 Karlson Feb. 1, 1921 2,078,877Hayland Apr. 27, 1937 2,286,900 Danley et a1 June 16, 1942 2593.382Zimmermann Apr. 15, 1952

